Amy T. (simplyamy) from DAKOTA DUNES, SD Reviewed on 8/16/2007...
magical soundtrack; eerie, but good eerie!
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Buffy G. (bufomander) from DENVER, CO Reviewed on 1/30/2007...
Interesting soundtrack from an interesting movie. Anybody remember the great grunge days of the 90s? Star tracks include Tori Amos' "Siren," Chris Cornell's "Sunshower" (one of his first solo efforts), and the throbbing make-out track from Mono.
CD Reviews
Beyond My Expectations
Mike | Bloomingdale, NJ | 11/28/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Like many soundtracks, I bought the soundtrack to the film 'Great Expectations' because there was a brand new Tori Amos track on it, and I *love* her. I had done the same with the 'Higher Learning' soundtrack, and was extremely disappointed due to the vomitory rap songs that surrounded Tori's gems. 'Great Expectations' pleasantly surprised me. Tori's track, the curious "Siren," is a piano-laced euphoria, her crystalline voice and Bösendorfer treading through a dreamy drum-driven soundscape (how 'bout that alliteration!) It is truly a masterpiece. "Wishful Thinking," a sullen, truthful tune by the ever-wonderful (and native New Jerseyan) Duncan Sheik, is the other masterpiece on the album. Highlights include the shocking ballad by former Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell ("Sunshower") and the poppy sunshiny splendor of "Today" by the smoky-voiced Poe. Overall, the songs, ranging from Iggy Pop to "Bésame Mucho", are journeys themselves in music."
Ain't seen none like you...
E. Kutinsky | Seattle, WA | 05/31/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Like that sleak image of Gwyneth Paltrow on the cover, the soundtrack to this mediocre Dickens adaptation is sexy and sophisticated, for the most part. Tori Amos starts it out with loopy solipsism, but most of the songs on the record are joyous surprises - Reef's "Resignation" and David Garza's "Slave" are great fun, Mono does a subtly devastating update on Abba's "Life In Mono," and Pulp finds charm and pulse in "Like a Friend." I think most are agreed the true hero of the soundtrack winds up being Scott Weiland, whose "Lady, Your Roof Drags Me Down" is jazzy, unexpected, and threatens to explode in 100 directions at once."
Fabulous
C. R. Corson | 09/08/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"When asked if I have an all time favorite "album" this is it. I have purchased it three times due to scratches, losing it, loaning it to friends that never give it back, etc. Would highly recommend it to everyone. It surpasses all genres of music and takes one for a quite a ride."
A great collection of music that's better than the movie!
Kara Welch | USA | 05/05/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I didn't hesitate in the least when I saw this CD for cheap at a used bookstore. With previously unavailable songs from some of my favorite artists and a list of other artists that I enjoy hearing from every now and then, this soundtrack was a great buy!
As a Tori Amos fan, I love the way the album opens. The song "Siren" is just beautiful and was a taste of things to come for her. "Life in Mono" is one of the most haunting bits of electronica that you'll ever hear and this is the single that got me into Mono the group. "Today" by Poe is another highlight for me; new Poe material is hard to come by. "Walk This Earth Alone" is another bright spot; Lauren Christy material is also hard to come by since she started writing songs for today's teen pop stars. The solo tune from Scott Weiland is great too; not really a song you'd expect to hear from him.
It's also great to listen to the tracks from other artists that I enjoy but don't listen to often. Chris Cornell, Pulp, Duncan Sheik, and The Verve Pipe all have strong tracks featured here. I also really love the song by Fisher. I'd never heard of her before, but her voice is so lovely. I know I'll be getting more from her in the future.
The music from this film was much better than the film itself. Not that the movie was really bad, but as a fan of the original novel, I find this film to be lacking in emotion. I also don't care for Ethan Hawke. That's hard to overlook. But I recommend this album if you want to hear an eclectic mixture of sounds made by some of music's most respected artists. You might even hear something new!"
Compelling and Beautiful
Kara Welch | 07/23/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This soundtrack is one of the most beautiful collections of music I've ever heard. Life in Mono and Siren have to be 2 of the most passionate songs I've ever heard. They comsume you with their twisted melodies and when you listen your mind goes on a rage and your heart fills with desire. This soundtrack moves me to levels of passion, desire, and romance hardly anything or one can do. I can liten to it constantly and be filled with the same emotions and excitement as the first time I heard the songs in the movie. (which by the way is one of the best movies of all time) If you have any suggestions of other cds or soundtracks with this kind of intensity. Email me @ BellaAngel@bolt.com."